Kak'ik (Guatemalan Turkey Soup)

Ingredients

• 1.2kg turkey drumsticks and thighs
• 2L water or light chicken stock
• 1 white onion, halved, plus 1/2 onion chopped separately
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 4 tomatillos, husked
• 2 dried guajillo chillies, seeded
• 2 dried ancho chillies, seeded
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp whole cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp achiote (annatto) paste
• 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt, to taste
• Cooked white rice and avocado slices, to serve

Before you cook

• Char the halved onion, 4 of the garlic cloves (unpeeled), the tomatoes and the tomatillos on a dry hot skillet or under a broiler, turning until blackened in spots.
• Peel the charred garlic once cool enough to handle.
• Toast the dried chillies in a dry pan over medium heat for 1 minute per side, until fragrant, then set aside to soften in hot water for 10 minutes.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in the same dry pan for 2 minutes, stirring, until they begin to pop.
• Toast the cloves and cinnamon stick in the dry pan for 30 seconds.

Steps

1. Put the turkey pieces in a large pot with the water, the remaining 2 raw garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes, until the turkey is tender.
3. Lift the turkey out of the pot and set it aside, reserving the broth.
4. Drain the soaked chillies and put them in a blender with the charred onion, garlic, tomatoes and tomatillos.
5. Add the toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cloves, cinnamon and the chopped red pepper to the blender.
6. Blend the mixture with a ladleful of the reserved turkey broth until smooth.
7. Heat the vegetable oil in a clean pot over medium heat.
8. Pour in the blended recado and fry it, stirring often, for 8 minutes, until it darkens and thickens.
9. Stir in the achiote paste until it dissolves evenly through the sauce.
10. Pour in the remaining turkey broth and bring to a simmer.
11. Return the turkey pieces to the pot and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to let the flavours meld.
12. Stir in the mint and cilantro leaves and simmer for 2 more minutes.
13. Taste and adjust the salt, then ladle into bowls and serve with white rice, avocado and the chopped raw onion.